Pretty in Potions
by greatpeckspectations
Summary: All Athena Malfoy wanted to do was help people, until one wrong move ends her career as a Healer. But when Professor Slughorn offers her a new start, she'll discover that maybe there's more than one way to save people. A James/OC Next Generation fic.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Prologue**

"_There are things you do sometimes, actions that you take by obeying sudden impulses, without stopping for even a fraction of a second to think, and then you spend the rest of your life either lamenting it or thanking yourself for it. They are rare, unique, and perfect moments."_

_~ Irene Gonzalez Frei_

The Ministry of Magic was in full swing that night.

A sea of witches and wizards dressed in their finest greeted us as we emerged from the lift, congregated from wall to wall in the atrium to celebrate the victory of the Second Wizarding War. I had always found our invitation to this event to be more than a bit ironic considering our family had quite infamously fought on the losing side, but we received an invitation every year nonetheless.

I fidgeted anxiously in my shimmering sapphire blue dress robes as my eyes flitted about the room, hoping that I would have the good fortune to avoid the Head Healer of St. Mungo's this evening. I silently prayed to every heaven ever imagined that she would not make an appearance at all tonight, or at the very least that she would not see my parents. Scorpius shot me a curious look as he took note of my strange behaviour but remained silent, deducing that I did not want to draw our parents' attention to it.

"Champagne?" I flinched at the sudden appearance of a waiter, but nodded gratefully as I took a flute filled with the sparkling liquid from his tray. I drank nearly half the glass in one sip, shooting Scorpius a dirty look when he raised an eyebrow in my direction. Our parents paid no mind to our interaction, having been pulled into a simply _riveting_ conversation—if the expression on my mother's face was any indication—with the head of some department. Noticing that our parents were otherwise occupied, Scorpius leaned in closer to me and lowered his voice.

"What in Merlin's name is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" I denied, the whiny edge to my voice a dead giveaway that I was being less than truthful.

"Thena, don't make me spike your drink with Veritaserum." He threatened and I gasped, affronted.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I have a vial in my pocket and you have ten seconds to tell me the truth." He told me firmly and I sighed, knowing that he wasn't bluffing. Whoever it was that decided Scorpius should be allowed access to Veritaserum was a fool.

"I just don't want to run into Healer Patel tonight." I admitted with a heavy sigh and he furrowed his brow, puzzled by my sudden disinterest in running into my boss. Healer Patel had been my mentor when I first began my career and we had always had a close relationship, banding together as some of the only female healers at the hospital. "I quit my job today." I confided in him and his jaw dropped, clearly not expecting this.

"What?" He gasped, his mouth agape like some dim-witted twit. The expression would have been utterly hilarious under any other circumstance. "Why would you do that?"

"I just…I can't do it anymore." I replied, gulping down the rest of my champagne greedily. I took advantage of his stunned state to grab another glass and quickly drained that as well. "It's too much!"

"Athena," he began quietly, his voice serious, "what happened?"

Before I could respond, I felt a tap on my shoulder and I whirled around. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of my favourite former professor, Horace Slughorn. Professor Slughorn had always been regarded as on odd, outdated sort of creature but I had always found him to be a great source of knowledge. He'd taken a special interest in me during my first year, comforting me after he'd found me crying in a broom closet after some Gryffindors had called me a Death Eater. He'd taken me under his wing and I knew that it was because of him that I had become such a whiz in potioneering.

"Professor Slughorn!" I greeted him happily, pushing the memories of this morning from my mind as he shook my hand with a hearty laugh. "It's so wonderful to see you!"

"You as well, Miss Malfoy, you as well." He replied, beaming. "And Mr Malfoy, aren't you looking just spiffy this evening?"

"Professor Slughorn, what a pleasure." Scorpius smiled brightly, conversing jovially with our former Head of House. "How are things at Hogwarts?"

"Just the same, though a bit dimmer without my two young prodigies there." He laughed as if he were joking, though I knew that he missed us dearly. He turned to me, lowering his voice. "Say, may I speak to you privately for a moment?"

"Anything for you!" I gave a cheeky grin as I handed my half-empty glass over to Scorpius, ignoring the pointed look he shot my way as I allowed Professor Slughorn to lead me to a quieter part of the Atrium without argument.

I couldn't help but release some of the tension in my shoulders as we came to a stop beside the fountain, having always appreciated the beauty of the memorial statue. There was a cluster of witches and wizards positioned all about, the looks of determination clear on their faces even in their statuesque form. They were clearly in the midst of the Battle of Hogwarts as goblins, house elves, centaurs, and the knights in the corridors of Hogwarts fought alongside them valiantly. I'd always thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and the sight alone was enough to soothe my nerves.

"How are you enjoying your time at St. Mungo's?" He asked as we sat down on the benches surrounding the fountain, the sound of the rushing water roaring in my ears. I opened my mouth to spout out some generic comment about the value of my work, but I stopped myself when I spotted the knowing look in his eyes. It was of no use for me to lie if he already knew the answer.

"Healer Patel told you, didn't she?" I asked him quietly and he nodded solemnly, confirming my suspicions. The sympathetic look he gave me made me cringe inwardly, having always been someone who had zero tolerance for pity. "I'm so sorry to have wasted your time, sir."

"My time is never a waste when it is used to increase the knowledge of another." He told me kindly, a fond smile on his wrinkled face. "Miss Malfoy, you have done more good in this world with the knowledge I imparted upon you than any other student I have ever had the pleasure of educating. There are no words to express how incredibly proud I am of you for how you chose to apply the knowledge you acquired. I can only imagine the greatness that will come from you in the future."

"Thank you." I whispered as I blinked back the tears in my eyes, unexpectedly choked up by his incredibly kind words.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Malfoy. I must confess, I was hoping that I would run into you this evening—even before Healer Patel informed me of your day."

"Oh? May I ask why?"

"I wanted you to be the first person, aside from Professor McGonagall, to know that I will be retiring from my post as Potions Master at the end of this next school year." He confessed and my mouth fell open, stunned by this news. I had known that this day would come eventually, the man had been teaching long before even my grandfather came to Hogwarts, but the news still surprised me. "I also thought you might like to know that I have recommended you to be my replacement."

"Me?" I gasped, sure that I had misheard him and he was not honestly suggesting that I take over for him. "Are you sure?"

"Miss Malfoy, you were one of the brightest students I have ever encountered in my seventy years as a Potions Master. You demonstrated incredibly fine-tuned instincts when it came to the art of potions making and you showed yourself to be a natural from the start. However, you were also exceedingly humble and believed that there was always more for you to learn. There is no one else that I would trust more with my students."

"Surely the governors wouldn't allow someone with so little experience to be put in charge of your students?" I protested feebly, still in shock at his revelation. "There's just no way that they'd approve of me!"

"They were not in agreement with my decisions, at first." He confessed, an unexpectedly proud twinkle in his eye. "However, they were forced to reconsider their ruling when the entire staff threatened to quit."

"They threatened to _quit_?" I asked incredulously, not expecting that sort of response. I had been liked well enough at school and I had gotten along with all of my professors, but I wouldn't have expected them to even consider putting their jobs in jeopardy just for me. "For me? But…why?"

"Miss Malfoy, I don't think you understand the incredible power you have over others. You have an uncanny gift to inspire others, which is a quality that few others possess. It is just one of the numerous reasons as to why I am confident that you are the right choice."

"I…I don't know what to say." I managed to choke out, still in a state of disbelief.

"Say yes." He encouraged me gently, pleading with me to accept. "Athena, there is no one else that I can choose to fill this post."

"What if I mess up?" I whispered, terrified at the thought of disappointing him.

"You won't. I know you won't. I have the utmost faith in you and I am confident that it is not in vain."

I have always been a cautious person, someone who considered all of the possibilities before making a decision. Yet, I lost a patient this morning. A child died on my watch, even after I had done everything right. I quit on the spot, giving little to no thought about what I would do after. I made an impulsive decision, but the world didn't come crashing down around me. At least not yet anyway.

"When do I start?"

And so it begins.


	2. The Wild Brunch

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Wild Brunch**

"_Happiness is only real when shared."_

_~ Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild_

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><p><strong>Author's Note: This chapter, much like the first, is unbeta-ed so please pay no mind to the mistakes :) I also need to apologise for the delay between updates, I'm working a crazy job with hours all over the place so I will not be able to update on a consistent schedule. Factor in the fact that my "will to write" so to speak comes and goes, this will not be a quickly updated story. My sincerest apologies. Despite this, I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think. Happy reading!<strong>

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><p>When I was five years old, I broke my mother's favourite vase.<p>

The rich hue of the emerald green glass and delicate gold flowers had been hypnotising, like a moth to a flame. I had just wanted to touch it, to see if something so beautiful could truly exist, but I overestimated my strength and it went crashing to the ground. There was complete silence for about five seconds as I stared, stunned, at the green and gold glass littered across the floor. Then, I ran like hell.

I remember this so distinctly because I had been absolutely petrified at the thought of upsetting her. I was so distraught that I ran straight for the woods behind our home, climbing the large oaks faster than I ever had in my life. I hid up in that tree, balanced atop the sturdy branches, as I remained completely silent when my mother came looking.

At first, I believed that I could spend the rest of my life hiding out in that treetop. I could live off of berries in the woods and water from the stream, only coming down when I was certain my parents would not be looking for me. Maybe I could even learn to control my magic without a wand, like those witches and wizards in the stories my parents would tell me before bed.

Then the sky turned dark, the wind grew strong, and the sounds of wild animals lurking down below left me frozen in fear as I remained in those branches. By that time, my mother's humble search party of herself and Scorpius grew to total about thirty people. My father was the one who finally found me, shivering and starving as I'd only eaten a few strawberries earlier that morning.

Later, once I'd been warmed and fed and reassured that I would not be in trouble as breaking the vase had just been an accident, my mother asked me why I had thought it would be a good idea to run away. I told her that I'd been so scared of getting in trouble that running away seemed like the best idea. She told me that life doesn't work that way. No matter how far you run your problems can follow you anywhere. The best thing to do is to turn around and face them, come what may.

Now as I stood before the polished black marble fireplace in my flat, a frown twisting my face as I watched the clock strike noon, I wished that I had just stayed up in that tree. I glanced at my unmade bed just steps away, the temptation to retreat to the safety of my blankets nearly overwhelming me. However, that temptation was nowhere near as strong as my fear of Nana Narcissa's wrath.

The deep gong of the bell on the clock rang throughout the room but I did not move a muscle, needing to take a moment to find some of that Gryffindor courage that Scorpius possessed. I knew that the moment I stepped into the fireplace and arrived at Malfoy Manor I'd be walking into the metaphorical lion's den—unless Grandfather Lucius forgot to tell me he'd gotten a new pet.

Sunday Brunch had been a Malfoy family tradition for as long as I could remember. I looked forward to it each week much like I had looked forward to Divination and exams—which is to say not at all. Each week we would gather in the manor to enjoy four long hours of fancy food, a review of the latest happenings in pureblood high society gossip, and criticisms of all life choices. I'd once made the mistake of skipping it during my healer's training, foolishly believing that working 72 hours straight warranted a break, and my grandmother had sent me a howler so utterly terrifying that it caused Healer Patel to burst into tears on the spot.

Lucius and Narcissa are always in fine form during these brunches, lamenting the mixing of the species and the "mixed blood" baby boom that had occurred after the war. They always find time to throw in a grievance or two about the "wasted potential" of their grandchildren and I knew that my announcement would only welcome the topic.

My grandparents believed that they had very little to brag about when it came to their "blood traitor" grandchildren, but my career was deemed a worthy accomplishment in their eyes. It felt almost cruel to rob them of their most favourite discussion topic at their high society events with their radical pureblood friends.

Almost.

I still had yet to tell my parents about the offer I'd received—and accepted—this past Friday evening at the gala and I wasn't quite sure how to break the news to them. I'd spent most of Saturday trying to formulate some sort of game plan, but I'd only gotten as far as deciding that I really did need to tell them.

I hadn't even told Scorpius yet, though that was primarily due to the fact that he'd ditched me as soon as he'd located Rose Weasley. The two were disgustingly in love and practically unbearable to be around. I didn't mind Rose all that much, she was quite pleasant when her lips were detached from my brother's, but I couldn't say the same for the rest of her family.

I gave a great sigh before I strode forward to scoop out a handful of floo powder, deciding that it was best to just get this over with. Maybe they'd be so stunned by the news that we'd be permitted to leave early and I could flee the country before the news sunk in. I took a deep breath before I stepped into the fireplace, throwing down the powder with a great shout of "MALFOY MANOR!" before I disappeared.

I yelped as I tumbled out of the fireplace and into the library, landing on the marble floors with a groan. One would think that after twenty-one years of using the Floo Network, I'd have a better grasp on how to land at my location. One would be wrong. I heard a quiet chuckle and looked up, glowering as Scorpius laughed at me from his perch on the sofa.

"I'm sorry!" He apologised between guffaws, pretending to wipe tears from his eyes as he looked down at me. "But that never gets old!"

"Come help me up, you dolt." I huffed. Scorp continued to laugh at my expense but obeyed, pulling me into a standing position. I dusted off the remnants of floo powder clinging to my skirt, I really needed to get my fireplace cleaned, before I looked at my brother curiously.

"Wait, why are you in here? How long have you been here?"

"I heard Nana Narcissa lecturing mother on the need for house elves when I got here." He informed me and I winced, sympathising with our poor mother. "I decided to hide in here until you came. And…I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh yeah?" I pretended to be oblivious as I studied myself in a nearby mirror, tucking my bangs behind my ear as I fluffed the ends. "About what?"

"You know what." He said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. I avoided his gaze as he came up behind me, approaching me slowly as if I were a wounded animal in the forest. "Thena, what happened?"

"Nothing." I insisted, my voice gone whiny as I tried to get him off my back. "I'm fine, seriously."

"I saw Healer Patel in Diagon Alley yesterday. She wanted to know if you were handling things well and if there was anything she could do. She seemed surprised that you hadn't already told me about whatever happened, considering how close we are. When I asked her what had happened, she kept insisting that it wasn't her place to tell me and practically ran off. So, I'm going to ask you one more time. What happened?"

I closed my eyes as I tried to keep my tears at bay, flashes of the memory echoing through my mind. The boy's agonised wails. His parents' sobbing, before they turned on me. My footsteps as I raced down the hall and out onto the street. The echo of me screaming that I quit before I disapparated away like the cowardly Slytherin I am.

No. I couldn't tell him. He'd never look at me the same way again.

"I—"

"There you are!" Our mother chirped as the door to the library flew open, her smile forced and her knuckles white as they gripped the doorknob tightly. "We're _all_ waiting for you in the dining room. It's time for brunch."

I practically sprinted out of the room after our mother, trying to ignore the disappointed sigh that echoed behind me. I pasted a smile on my face as I entered the room, greeting my grandparents and father politely as I took my seat. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, especially the weight of Scorpius's gaze, but I ignored them all as I took a sip of my water.

Brunch proceeded as it always did. First, a selection of fruit was served as our parents recounted tales from their own work. My father worked as a broom-maker, having found his passion for the craft after doing community service for various shops in Diagon Alley. My mother was a curse breaker at Gringott's, presently in charge of training all of the recent Hogwarts graduates.

Next came the egg course and my grandparents' recap of the latest pureblood gossip. Nana Narcissa spoke of how Isabella Zabini had been sorted into Hufflepuff—of all the houses to be sorted into!—and Melora Crabbe had told her the most _scandalous_ story about Jezebel Goyle. Then, along with flapjacks, it was time for Scorpius and I to share about our weeks at work.

Scorpius went first, as any good brother would, and spoke of a particularly complicated case he'd been assigned. He worked for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, specifically in the International Magical Office of Law. As he explained the clashing in customs between the Moroccan Ministry and our own, I mentally prepared myself to share my own news.

"In the end, we decided to let it slide because otherwise we'd be arguing with one another until next year!" The table erupted in laughter and I chuckled politely, completely oblivious to what it was that everyone found so funny.

"How about you, Athena?" Nana Narcissa prompted me, smiling expectantly. "How was your week?"

"Well…it was surprising. I saw Professor Slughorn at the gala and he offered me his post at Hogwarts, to spend a year assisting him before taking over completely once he retires. I've been feeling rather…under challenged at work and I decide to accept his offer." The room was plunged into silence as everyone's jaws dropped, though Scorpius gave me a look of utter disbelief. Personally, I thought I'd been rather brilliant in skimming over the real reason why I was accepting this post—and why it had been offered in the first place—but I knew that I wouldn't be able to escape that conversation with Scorpius forever. However, I knew that he wouldn't dare bring it up in front of everyone.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I understand." My father finally said after opening and closing his mouth a few times, looking more surprised than I'd ever seen him look in my whole life. "You _quit_?"

"Professor Slughorn's offer was one I felt would be foolish to pass up." I responded simply as I took a bite of food, hoping it would prolong me from having to answer more questions.

"But…I thought you were happy at the hospital." My mother spoke, her brow twisted in confusion and a tinge of concern. "You always seemed so excited to talk about the work you were doing there."

"I just felt I needed a change." I told her, my tone sharper than I meant it to be. Her eyes widened but she regained her composure, giving me a tight smile.

"Well, I'm happy for you." She said, though it sounded rather forced.

"I as well." My father added, looking between my mother and I anxiously. "When do you start?"

"I don't need to be up at the school until mid-August, but I'll need to spend the summer taking classes with the Ministry to ensure that my potioneering skills are still up to par. I turned in my two weeks notice the other day, so I've decided to spend any free time I have travelling. It feels like a good time to do so."

"I think that sounds like a marvellous plan!" Nana Narcissa chirped as she clapped her hands together, sounding surprisingly genuine. "We're very proud of you, Athena."

"Excuse me a moment." Scorpius said suddenly as he threw his napkin down into his seat, scurrying back to the library. I had a feeling that he intended for me to follow so I smiled politely and excused myself, rushing after him.

"What the hell was that?" I demanded once I closed the door behind me, crossing my arms across my chest with a raised eyebrow.

"You tell me! What was that bullshit you just spewed all over the place back there? 'An offer you couldn't refuse' and 'feeling bored at work' my arse! Typical Athena, stretching the truth to make it sound like everything's ok so no one will think your perfect life is anything but!"

"Oh what did you expect me to do, Scorpius?" I cried, silently grateful that each room in the manor was charmed to be soundproof. "Tell them that I'm a failure? That a child died on my watch and that I'd be out on the streets if Slughorn hadn't come to my rescue? You don't understand a bloody thing about my life, you bastard, and I won't stand here and have you tell me how I should put myself back together!"

It wasn't until I saw the mixture of pity and embarrassment on his face that I realised just what I'd yelled at him. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but closed it as he stopped to plan out his words more carefully. After a few tense moments of silence he sighed heavily, shaking his head.

"I don't know what to say."

"Nothing. Say nothing." I snapped before I strode away, hopping in the fireplace before he could stop me. I returned to my flat and disarmed the Floo Network, flopping down onto my bed still dressed in my clothes from before. I could only imagine the howlers I'd receive once Nana Narcissa and my parents realised I'd left without saying goodbye but, at this moment, I could not care less.


End file.
